Centara Hotels & Resorts: Thailand’s answer to every holiday style

As winter comes to an end in Australia and monsoonal rains make way for tropical sun in Asia, there’s no better time to leave the cold behind and make a quick dash to every Aussie’s favourite island – Thailand.

There’s a lot of upsides to visiting Thailand; sun, sea, a rich culture – not to mention great value for money. The only downside is deciding on which palm-fringed beach to spend your time. Fortunately, Thailand’s leading hotel group, Centara Hotels & Resorts, has a number of four- and five-star properties that span the length and breadth of the island – and value comes in spades. So, if a relaxing week on the beach is your tipple, jump on a plane to the ‘Land of Smiles’ where you have 38 impressive Centara resorts to choose from. Here are three of the most popular.

Centara Villas Phuket

One for the value-conscious romantics; Centara Villas Phuket offers relaxed luxury with sweeping views of the Andaman Sea afforded by the resort’s lofty clifftop perch. Relax in your own private pool or jacuzzi, watch the sunset from The Cliff Bar or indulge in a massage or Ayurvedic treatment at one of the best spas on the island, Spa Cenvaree.

Centara Hotels & Resorts Phuket — Centara Villas Phuket offers relaxed luxury with sweeping views of the Andaman Sea.

Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket

For families, you can’t go past the five-star Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket, with its own in-resort, landscaped water park complete with lazy river, four lagoon-style swimming pools, two waterslides, jumps rocks and waterfalls. Two complimentary Kids’ Clubs (with a packed schedule of daily activities) and interconnecting rooms add to the appeal. All of the 262 rooms, suites and villas face the ocean with private balconies, but the one-bedroom and two-bedroom villas step it up a notch with a private pool and Club access included.

With the kids looked after, adults can slink up to the swim-up bar in the main pool, or head to the private adults-only pool that overlooks the sea. For a quiet evening drink or canape, the COAST Beach Club & Bistro promises sophistication with a relaxed, beachy vibe and for dinner, check out resort eateries, COVE Restaurant or Mare Italian, or pop into Patong, which is only a short 10-minute drive away.

Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas

Further north, roughly 200 kilometres south of Bangkok airport, lies the coastal town of Hua Hin and the Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas. Famous as a retreat destination for the royal family and the Thai elite, Hua Hin is the place to be if you’re looking for the royal treatment.

The director of the state railway, Prince Purachatra first built the beachfront resort he called the Railway Hotel in the 1920s to accommodate visitors to King Rama VI’s nearby summer palace, before Centara lovingly restored it to the sprawling colonial masterpiece it is today. Polished teak floors, period furniture and Thai silks hint at the resort’s royal heritage in all 207 rooms and 47 villas, with modern touches throughout – most evident in the Deluxe Spa and Deluxe Pool Villas. Located in the heart of town, you can walk to some of Thailand’s best night markets, visit one of the country’s finest vineyards or play at one of 11 international golf courses during your stay.

Centrara Hotels & Resorts — The Railway Restaurant takes its design inspiration from Hua Hin railway station originally erected in the early 1920s,

Thailand not on your radar? Centara Hotels & Resorts can be found in the Middle East, the Indian Ocean and Far East, including two properties among the whiter-than-white sands and cerulean-blue waters of the Maldives.

Centara Ras Fushi

Less than 20 minutes away from the airport, and accessed via speedboat in North Malé Atoll, Centara Ras Fushi is a true bucket-list destination. Just don’t bring the kids; this resort is literally made for couples and strictly adults only. Within a dhoni ride of some of the Maldives’ best surfing, and outstanding snorkelling around the island, water-lovers will be kept busy. Accommodation is mostly overwater, too, with a wide choice of dining, including Arabic, Thai, Italian and seafood options.

Centara Hotels & Resorts — Centara Ras Fushi is a true bucket-list destination.

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Centara Grand Island Resort Maldives

Unlike almost any other resort in this Indian Ocean paradise, Centara Grand Island Resort Maldives is utterly unique. The resort’s ’Ultimate All Inclusive’ concept means that, along with your accommodation, the daily rate includes three main meals at a choice of Thai, international or fine-dining Italian restaurants, champagne with breakfast, a daily replenished in-villa mini bar, all drinks from 11am until midnight at any bar or restaurant, high tea and evening cocktails.

And that’s not all; you can also take advantage of up to three dives per seven-night stay, a spa credit to use at the onsite Spa Cenvaree and up to five excursions (per week) including swimming with whale sharks, fishing, a sunset cruise, island picnic or an island excursion. Meanwhile, at the resort, there’s still plenty to do – paddleboarding, banana-boat rides, hobie cats, tennis, table tennis and more. Just remember to leave time to catch the sunset from the overwater deck.

To access one of the amazing deals currently on offer visit centarahotelsresorts.com.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

Centara: Thailand’s answer to every holiday style